But The Fire is So Delightful
by Grigiocuore
Summary: Exactly what you think. Four cheesy, sappy, fluffly snapshots starring our Psych gang and all the things that make us squeak at Christmas. We have a whole year to be classy and gloomy. Just one holiday to be adorably dumb. C'mon, you know that's right. SHASSIE and GULES, deal with me.
1. Be My Sugar Batman

_Okay, here we are. Are you comfy, curled on your sofa with chocolate or other sugary things? Worn by Present Hunt? Tired from exams or other mundane worries? Well, if so stay here and read these cheesy-eesy snapshots about our favorite psychos. Let's begin with some good Gules, sounds good? And Merry Christmas, guyz._

**Be My Sugar Batman**

The PD Christmas party had been cheap bordering on lousy. But McNab's eggnog had been fantastic. Lovely. Irresistible. And the nice part of her family was half-continent away and Carlton was busy trying to understand if he was bi and she still waited for Dad's damn call and so Juliet had just _had_ to gulp down five cups before ten p.m. It turned out eggnog's aftereffects were way worse than college parties', and now all she could do was leaning against the Cold Room doorway and trying her hardest not to throw up.

Oh, it was all so wrong. She was healthy. She was loved. She was a strong woman that looked pretty with a Elf hat. With a Elf _hat_, for God's sake. She had no right in the world to be miserable. She wasn't nine anymore. No one has forgotten her. She was strong.

She squeezed her eyes, let out a groan. Heard two of them.

-Ehy?-

A voice answered from the other side of the door. -Ehy, Jules.-

-Gus. What are you doing here?-

-Ah, hoping to die I suppose. Too much pudding. You?-

That explained the risen-from-the-grave voice and the sudden crave for sitting by office doorways. Juliet swallowed. -Eggnog.-

-Ah. Tried last year. Not a great night so far, mh?-

-Not great.-

There was a moment of silence. In the hall someone turned on a bad version of "Let it snow" on the karaoke. Carlton was barking over the music, Shawn laughed.

-You know Juliet, that's so unfair. We're nice people, we should never reduce to that. We'd deserve someone to tell us when stopping with sweeties. Someone keeping us wise and healthy. A sort of Sugar Batman.-

She smiled. Her hand slipped a bit on the floor. -Yeah. That would be cool.-

Juliet could breathe a bit better. There was a green smell in the air, like woods and winter, swelling the cool half-dark. She looked up to the archway.

-Oh, the mistletoe. Crap.-

Her hand inched forwards. Gus talked after a second.

-We should kiss.-

-I suppose.-

Three seconds.

-It wouldn't be bad, would it?-

She smiled. Her hand touched other fingers. –-No, it wouldn't.-

They stayed there, and she could just _feel_ him grinning through the jamb. Oh, it was all so sweet. Like early Christmases, when Dad's lies were still beautiful and she was a greedy happy elf. Like things slipping in place. Like eggnog. Oh no.

She pinned back against the door, calculating how many seconds would it take to crawl to the ladies' restroom. -But not now.-

Gus did a ugly sound from his side. -No, not _now_.-

_P.S.: It's a kind of obsession for me, but I always try to show glimpses of Jules's issues in my stories: the need to be the perfect daughter, the strongest, the bravest, the most proper woman in her life, and the Badass pit she doesn't want to admit. And that we deeply love, 'f course._


	2. Just Like Penguins

_It's obvious: if I talk about heartwarming I talk about Lassiet Bromance. In my mind the settings is a Slashyverse, but the piece is deliberately ambiguous. It is not about drama or romance or crimes, it is just about two pals. Hope you like it._

**Just Like Penguins**

-How long since we got here?-

-Roughly twenty minutes.-

Juliet let a whine. _-So little_?-

Carlton cast her a glance and rubbed his reddish nose. She and Carlton were standing by the corner traffic lights, tightly clad in the fancy dark coats he insisted to wear through winter. They should vaguely look like penguins, all straight and black and standing close against the cold. Juliet had to stifle a giggle as she shuffled on the spot to warm up.

Murphy-ly, they got a call exactly ten minutes before Christmas holidays started. A meeting with a undercover agent over a drug-dealing gang, easy thing, no riskier than going out to buy milk, but it still implied no Vigil coziness and a lot of angry-sea winds. Their lovely partners had said "okay" and closed the door on their Christmassy TV Marathon. It wasn't too bad, though. It was a deep clear night, all blue glass and white cold stars, and Santa Barbara glowed under them in a flood of bizarre lights. She had someone heating her slippers in the microwave when she'd come home, he wouldn't have to burst in her living room like a sad puppy. It was good enough for her.

She sink her hands in the coat's pockets. -You remember the first Christmas we spent together, Carlton? When you traumatized my nephews?-

It was his turn to whine. -You remember _it_?-

-I'll remember it till my judgment day.-

-I told you, my intentions were of the most honorable kind. I wanted to do a good impression.- He paused. She felt him shuffle on his feet. - I really tried.-

-I know.-

A pause. Midnight was coming.

-I, think I should really thank you, O'Hara. For that time.-

-For what? Not having thrown you out after the Wii fiasco?-

-Yes. No. I mean, after Victoria I thought it was over, but it still. It.- He trailed off, licking his lips. He took in a breath looking at the city lights. -I want a family. A good big family with lots of kids, and hidden quarrels, and people that I could complain about and teach about my grand-grandfather while they try to watch TV and that floods my house every Friday evening for meatloaf and potatoes. I want all that, O'Hara.-

Juliet turned, mouth agape. She felt a surge of heartbreaking tenderness for that man ten years her senior that she first had driven back among humans. Her partner. She pressed against his warm arm, hard. -You'll have it.-

_-_No_.-_

_-You'll have it_.- She rested her head on his shoulder.

-And if not, I'll lend you mine.-

The taller penguin smiled.


End file.
